Here's the story. Two years ago I finished with a season ending average at 233. My best season ever. Then last season on the first night out, every ball I threw hooked at my feet. It felt like I was pulling EVERY shot 5-7 boards at the arrows. This went on for weeks. I was unbelievably frustrated. Then, my intro to motiv. I bought the ascent pearl for the dry, (figuring it would work well in this house that has cut the amount of oil they are using drastically, especially in the first 15 feet.) I also bought the shock as a step up (and different shape for more normal conditions) and an octane for when I need hook on slicker conditions. Ascent worked well but lacked hit because the pattern was a little long for this ball even though it was light in volume. But it did clear the heads. The Octane reacted well as long as I moved way in and forced it through or over the heads which lead to inconsistency on my part. The Shock was way more ball than I thought and is actually 7-10 boards stronger than my octane. Can't throw it here. Short story long, I drop my average 23 pins in one year. I didn't bowl any tournaments all year until the team event (which I bowled with 2 different teams, and skipped singles and doubles) of our association tourney and the state tourney because I had already paid for my entry. I'm a lousy bowler all of a sudden and don't know why. City tourney rolls around and low-and-behold there is head oil. I shoot 763-757 in consecutive team entries (octane). I bowl with my son at a different house known for being a shorter pattern but also dry and shoot 785 with no warm-ups (ascent pearl). I go to the state tourney and shoot 2104 for all events with some bad breaks and a few missed spares that I normally make (octane and ascent pearl). Now I know it's not as much me as I thought. Not having any head oil is annihilating the averages of the higher rev bowlers. This season, nothing has changed. Shock is way too strong, octane is too strong for me to play my "A" game and ascent pearl doesn't have the hit on the back end that I need (3 pocket 7-10s in one game proved that). So I am desperately needing a ball that clears the head easily and hooks on the back. Here's where I need your help and here's where Motiv is needling me. I'm debating between the panic and the tag. All of a sudden the Octane Burn comes out to confuse me even more. In our area I have seen one tag, one panic, and zero Burns in person. I need a ball that absolutely skates then hooks. I'm concerned about getting one of these three balls and having it be too similar to my octane. I would like it to be a step down in terms of strength but it needs to be cleaner and longer. My head is telling me to get the tag for this situation, but I would like to know what MOTIVnation has to say about the mess I'm in.
